Quarantine questions raised over private flights
(CNS) The question of potential quarantine breaches has been a persistent public concern since government closed Cayman’s borders and introduced a mandated 14-day quarantine for all returning residents in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. But allegations that some, especially those arriving on private charters, have avoided the government isolation have not been substantiated. Officials from the governor’s office have also told CNS that it would be a criminal offence and urged anyone who believes people are in breach of mandated quarantine to report that information to the police, as it can easily be checked.
Three private charter flights that arrived in the Cayman Islands over the weekend brought back seven returning residents, and TravelTime confirmed their quarantine details, which included some who are in self-isolation due to medical reasons.
Four of the arriving residents were from Honduras, and officials said that they have all been placed in government quarantine. Three people who came from the US are in self-isolation after Chief Medical Officer Dr John Lee and Medical Officer of Health Dr Samuel Williams jointly approved the requests because of their medical issues.
Officials from the governor’s office have also confirmed that any cases where people have been allowed to self-isolate for health reasons have been closely supervised by public health.
Meanwhile, TravelTime confirmed that 44 people arrived on the British Airways flight, 27 of whom are now in government isolation and 17 are in paid-for quarantine facilities. Another 18 people arrived from Miami via Cayman Airways, 14 of whom are in the free government facilities while four are housed in the paid-for facilities. But both the free and paid-for hotels are full quarantine facilities.
Andrea Fa’amoe, a senior member of the TravelTime team within the premier’s ministry, said, “TravelTime is unaware of any private jets arriving with passengers to the Cayman Islands who were not subject to the strict isolation requirements as mandated by government.”
With a considerable number of evacuation flights continuing to come and go, continued speculation is likely. However, government must continue to provide a way out for those with no work and no means of supporting themselves in the post-COVID situation. It also has an obligation to bring home residents and facilitate the arrival of essential workers, even while the borders remain closed.
Governor Martyn Roper announced Thursday that a second British Airways air-bridge flight has been organised to Manila, which will depart Grand Cayman on Tuesday 28 July. It is currently only open to members of the Filipino community.
Those interested are asked to email GovernorsOffice.Cayman@fco.gov.uk
The BA flight to London for students and their families on 31 July will be open for booking next week, and a second student air-bridge, set for 28 August, will be open for booking during the first week of that month.
Meanwhile, although TravelTime is dealing with all other travel, the governor’s office is retaining control of the BA flights and continues to lead negotiations with foreign governments. The office is currently engaged in talks with the Sri Lankan, Nepalese and Nicaraguan governments to get their nationals home.
Commenting on Facebook page about the work off his office, the governor wrote, “We are working closely with the TravelTime team who lead on who can return to Cayman, isolation facilities and arrangements with Cayman Airways for all other flights. This is a challenging process and an unprecedented situation.”
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Category: Health, Medical Health, Transport
Read this and thought, “Well, the Premier will see that CNS is not the devil, that a fair press can help government” … and then I saw the expose of Dwayne’s health insurance debacle and thought that’s the end of weekly press briefing where embarrassing questions can get asked! Save poor old Dwayne from coming up with a bible story to explain why people having been told they will be ensured by government are actually up the creek without a paddle…
Well, you see there is a donkey and a jackass … and we elected them both!
Seems the solution here is to not allow women to have phones.
I feel a movement is starting.
Must have been the guacamole
If only there were some sort of technology to notify the police if people left home during isolation period. Some sort of device, like some sort of tag, attached to the person somewhere unobtrusive but visible, like, say on the ankle. Some sort of ankle tag to ensure people stayed home. If only such a technology existed then we could tell CIG and RCIPS about it.
Of course if such a technology did exist, then CIG and RCIPS would already know about it, wouldn’t they, and the would have implemented it, wouldn’t they?
Wouldn’t they?
Been out there for ages now.
Ikr….I hope this technology will be “invented” soon. Anyone with links to the big players please pitch this idea to them. It sounds like it would be really helpful.🤦♀️
It’s been done even Bulgaria is trialing them.
Google it
I heard they are working on a book consolidating words and providing definitions for those that might not understand them.
Currently the committee is taking votes for inclusions and the leading contender is ‘sarcasm’….
Do you know what scarcasm is?
you pay $2,500 minimum for the pleasure of staying at the Holiday Inn.
It is not free unless you are Caymanian.
bahaha if you’re paying you stay at the Palm Heights – the Holiday Inn is for freeloaders.
Look it’s CIG all over the haves go to the Ritz the have nots Holiday Inn.
CIG oppression and looking after my rich friends
Those who want free accommodation go to the Holiday Inn at the expense of the tax payer. Those who want more comfort pay for it out of their own pocket. So what?
Expats who pay most of your taxes do not have this option. Your obviously Caymanian so I know your response will be “so what”.
You both seem to miss the fact that NON OF US LAY TAXES!!
Strange that missed that….
you pay $2,500 minimum for the pleasure of staying at the Holiday Inn.
It is not free unless you are Caymanian.
No. It is also free for Permanent Residents.
Wrong!
#lodgelivesmatter
Can’t the “freeloaders” choose to pay and go to the other hotel? What’s the problem? Believe me, anything that you choose and pay for yourself is always going to be better than what the Government “gives” you.
Yep and always paying the highest cost to receive nothing. That’s our goverment for you.
The most likely place to catch Covid is a hospital. So we let those who return from hospitals isolate at home, while quarantining healthy people. On this subject, Cayman has become a world class joke! What happened in the very beginning was a family flew in from Switzerland, tested positive and were sent home to isolate. They did not and mass panicking ensued. Then a family flew in on a private jet and were to isolate in their condo. They did not. But these were early days when we had a steep learning curve to climb. Remember when police surrounded a George Town condo? As if the person was a hardened criminal? We are now ALL aware of the virus and the respect it deserves. The quarantine and humiliating government policy must stop. If not now when? January 2021? June 2022? How about some guidance on this subject Mr. Premier?
The George Town Condo incident was a show to make people feel better.
They tested all the people after ” Possible exposure ” the day before. The question everyone should have asked is why did they not wait the 14 days and then test?
There is no point testing a day after posable exposure and it should have been done after 8 days.
So the incident was all a show? One put on prematurely to falsely comfort those who are petrified of Covid? If what you say is true, what kind of integrity is our government displaying? Or was it just ignorance?
I’m saying that testing the people that where exposed 24 or 48 hours earlier was to make them feel better. It would not have proven they where or where not infected.
Read the recommendation from Labs for timing of RT-PCR testing you need 4 days after posible exposure and 7-8 days being the optimal time.
Again my point is, we should be testing people on arrival then isolating for 7 or 8 days and test again on day 7or8 NOT waiting 14 days.
This cuts down on our isolation time needed, gives us a safer result and probably cost less.
Cayman may be a joke, but so far, not one Caymanian has died of the Chinavirus on his native soil.
Bet there has still been a death!
I guess if it was an expat that would not count as well?
Exactly #expatlivesdontmatter
#Caymanianlivesmatter
Someone in our house tested positive with no travel, we were told to isolate at home. Don’t understand the logic of making people who are negative isolate in a hotel if they can do so at home. Makes no sense at all unless it is simply to make travel so unpleasant everyone stays and spends their money here over summer!
How is one meant to know they are negative? If they have come back home on a repatriation flight after two weeks isolation, they test negative and then they are free to go, simple.
Learn to be more grateful for the proactive measures Government had implemented. That is why we are in the great position we are in now.
They should be tested 72 hours before the flight and then 7 days after the flight.
Waiting 14 days is to long and risks false negatives.
Do you keep up with internatonal news? It is almost impossible to get tested in the US right now, especially Florida and Texas… much less get results within a week.
The government was indeed proactive at first. But we are not in a great situation now. Indeed, we are behind the curve because of our arrogance, ignorance and paranoia. Unfortunately, we are part of a much bigger world, economic and social system. It’s Caymans ability to fly in and out so frequently that separate us from other islands. Thousands up thousands of people have second homes here. How do they know their properties are safe? When will they be allowed to check on their properties. Are they to wait for a vaccine? If so, the government has a duty to state as much. We cannot cower in silence of policy and denial that action is needed. Then again, this is coming from someone who actually needs to work to make a living. It doesn’t apply to those who don’t need to work. For those, these are likely the best times of Cayman.
Oh boohoo. These poor rich folks with 2nd homes. I am sure there are cameras at these homes they can monitor remotely. If they can afford a 2nd home, they can afford the quarantine if they really want to visit their 2nd home.
Those poor rich folks put food on our tables. Perhaps too much for you to understand.
So why can’t they quarantine ? We have to be concerned with everyone’s safety and lives.
Such people can quarantine in one of their several homes around the world. Why would they choose the one place they cannot enjoy? Cayman is so far behind on this topic it’s a shame.
Because Cayman will be Covid free. Let’s keep it dat way. And almost the entire world had blocked US citizens.
Agreed total over reaction at this point. Alden has scared everyone to the point of being brainwashed that this has to be the way.
Most countries simply require you to stay out in your own home.
And most countries have Covid ravaging their communities! Spot the difference?
Name 10 countries.
USA
Canada
Mexico
France
Australia
England
Germany
Spain
Nigeria
China
That makes 10. Your point?
You are absolutely wrong.
Fair enough. I did ask you to name ten countries. Well done. Now can you define the word “ravishing”? And bonus points if you list by deaths per capita.
Turn off CNN and take a walk in those communities.
You have to stop looking at the ravishing red dots. There maybe hot spots in some, certainly not all of these countries. Jamaica, a population of 2,500,000 was 100% covered with a red dot when 3 people died. The fact that you have Canada and US on the same list is an absolute joke.
Why? Is Canada not a country? It’s a little dull, but really beautiful and the people are generally very nice. It should be allowed to count.
You forgot to add, handling the Covid situation extremely well.
Extremely well, eh? Despite access to all the same cautionary early information from China and Europe, Canada was late on the mark on everything. Canada didn’t have sufficient PPE for frontline hospital workers, let alone anyone else. Few test kits ordered until deep into the problem. They completely failed their senior homes; were in the top 10 for death count early on, and held there for months (with a total population of just 38mln), only recently displaced to #14. They are #37 on the planet for testing per 1mln behind Estonia. If Canada is good at anything, it is premature self-congratulation. So happy with themselves, and having not done the work required, they are easing right into John Hopkins statistical projection of a second resurgence around early November. We’re seeing these all around the world.
Some women a ravishing, but Covid is Ravaging.
Funny…..Australia recently declared itself covid free. Care to share your great detective skills with us?
You understand that New South Wales, that is quarantined from the rest of the country, is in Australia, right?
But you said the virus was ravishing Australia, not South Wales. Maybe if your comments were more accurate, you would achieve some credibility.
New South Wales is part of Australia!!!!
Locally we are, for all purposes, Covid free. Are only real risk is from persons returning. Why the F would we risk months of work to not truly quarantine new arrivals? If we do not do so everything we have done to date was a waste of time.
Lol, because soon you will completely run out of money. Hope you still know how to fish.
Spoken like a hotelier who has refused to allow people to quarantine at their facility and is not willing to contemplate extended stay rates.
What fish? Turtle farm is your best bet.
You will never be ” Covid ” free.
Even after 2 months of no cases and negative tests it will show back up. This is now proven in other places that have stayed closed and where Covid free.
I would know as I now have it after months of lock down!
Clearly you haven’t been on complete lockdown if you have caught it…
Why not test people on arrival and then let them go home until they get results? It’s backwards to isolate HEALTHY people while allowing others to isolate at home for ‘medical reasons’. Those of us who are consistently testing negative can be trusted to self isolate for two weeks.
Because there is an incubation period. You could catch the virus on the plane and not know for days. So going home to where there are potentially other people means you could infect them. The system in place is obviously working.
Of course, everyone is going to catch it on the plane. Not a an hour before! Not a day before! Not a week before! Not a month before!
Google 14 day incubation period …
You Google it!!!
14 day incubation is to show symptoms BUT you can test for it vis RT-PCR after 4 days of exposure or contact with some one with 7 days being the optimal day to get true results.
SO why are we doing 14 days and then testing.
If anything to mitigate risks and false results we should be testing on day 4 and day 8!
This risk. https://www.news.com.au/world/coronavirus/coronavirus-contract-tracing-woman-infects-71-people-in-60-seconds/news-story/1dc30aed0e1f33c9ca1a4bdeaba98920?fbclid=IwAR2TazwZeLNRFcsbM4YLv8jBNe1YfzfuggyomaUUI_gazanJQu8leiPVzf4
Why do some people always believe that there is some undermining plot being hatched?
In fact there are still a lot of honest people in this wicked world!
Actually, some of us believe that everyone should be treated equally and fairly. That’s not what’s happening here, fake “medical reasons” don’t cut it. Either everyone isolates in a Government facility or no one does. That is all.
How arrogant. And 5:56 how do YOU know these are “fake” medical reasons? If you were recovering from major surgery or cancer treatment overseas, the combined ordeal of that plus travel at this time is terrible enough. Have some compassion.
We know.
Typical nasty vicious baseless Cayman rumors.
I blame us women on our phones. Take our phones away and the bitchiness will stop.
Just look at CMR. You know I’m right.
@4:51 calm down. You clearly missed the essence of the article written. People had queries, CNS enquired and the relevant Government dept clarified those queries. People clearly knew persons came in and did not go to the Govt isolation center and went home. The government confirmed that was indeed correct and clarified why this occurred. No rumours here just facts! Read🧐 the article again if in doubt!
People had queries arising from rumors spread by women with phones.
How do you know it was women on their phones…sexist much?
Get a grip!
It’s what we do. And if by sexist you mean calling out my sex for being bitchy and spreading rumors online, then yes, I’m sexist and proud of it. Where’s the female sense of humor, the light touch, the satire? We are shrill, preachy and self righteous online, and our phones should be taken from us for our own good.
Men are far worse.
Most of the hateful comments on CMR are made by men.
I’m guessing you’re a woman with a phone.
The governor really enjoying be a British Airways travel agent. Geez.
Easier than the hard stuff like ensuring good governance – plainly something he cannot be bothered with.
Do what they’ve been doing in Europe – just refuse to let them out of the aircraft and send them back. Not rocket science is it?
It still doesn’t make much sense that you allow those that have tested positive for Covid to self-isolate, yet quarantine those that might be infected. There has to be a better way to let people go home and still check up on them.
It will be just like reporting trainergate.
Give them ankle monitors.
Why? So we can tell when they went to the store and exposed the wider population? That will help how exactly?
XXXX
That being said, why do all need to gov isolate? I’m sure some could be trusted at their homes
I agree – if those 3 can self isolate, so can everyone else. Check, monitor and fine if isolation rules breached.
How high should the fine be if their action forces the whole place back into lockdown, and kills a few done of us? Would that be “adequate” compensation.
Have the people who have been quarantined in government facilities been under 24/7 surveillance? What’s the fine if they leave? What happens if one needs urgent medial attention, is a latch put on the door? The whole point of the lock down was to not have a run on the hospitals. Hence the building of field hospitals. With NOBODY in ANY hospital reasonable steps need to be taken to move forward. This is not about stopping death altogether. We are not God. And even he allows death. It is about minimizing death through good medical care.
I do not know the procedure. But I would assume they are not give room keys? And I would also assume the hotels have cameras that can monitor movements? I also see police presence at the hotels as well.
Ummm, police are guarding quarantine facilities. It is not possible to leave.
And yes – we can stop deaths by getting and keeping Cayman free of the virus.
Under what law will three attempt to stop you if you do choose to leave? I walked right out, nothing they could do about it.
The Public Health Law and the Quarantine Regulations.
The regulations only permit detention for 14 day unless symptoms of covid. How are they detaining people for 15+ until the test results are in?
Ok. You can sue them – but only for the 15th day – and the court will award you a dollar in damages, make you pay thousands in costs, and call you an idiot.
No you can walk out at 14 days though
cant deal
text too
tiny
!!!!!!
😛